Amongst the Shadows
by SarruVenus
Summary: NEW CHAPTER POSTED!
1. The Attack

Daine sat up in bed, pouring sweat. Her fingers raked the air, trying to grab at something that wasn't there. It was if a hand had wrapped itself around her throat and nearly strangled her to death. Its tight grasp had come swift and powerful, locking around her thin neck like a an iron band. Even now, she swore she could still feel bony fingers digging into her flesh. The woman straightened, forcing her shaking hands to feel around her throat for bruising. She winced as her fingers brushed deep indents; a being had indeed tried to kill her in her sleep.  
  
When Daine had composed herself, she swung her legs over the side of her bed. Throwing aside the sheets she had been wrapped in, she stepped onto the floor. The frightened woman dug her toes into the soft rug, comforted by the reminder of her home. Bleary eyed, she scanned the room, searching for whatever had throttled her. Nothing moved about in the shadows; whatever had come had passed just as quickly. She was safe now, at home, alone and alive.  
  
"Daine," a sleepy voice yawned.  
  
The woman jumped.  
  
"Daine," the voice repeated, sounding more alert than before. Sheets rustled beside her and the bed spring's squeaked as something very large shifted.  
  
"What?" She whispered into the darkness. "Numair?" Her voice cracked. Clearing her throat, she asked louder, "Numair, is that you?"  
  
A candle ignited itself from the opposite side of the bed. A man sitting up in the bed moved closer to Daine, now illuminated in the soft glow of candlelight. His dark eyes stared into her blue one's, reading her worriedly.  
  
"What's wrong?" The man asked softly. He reached a hand-a very large hand-out to her. Daine accepted it gratefully, letting him pull her limp body into a comforting embrace. She heard his breathing over her shoulder and the soft beat of his heart through his shirt against her own chest. This was all she heard, his question never reaching her ears.  
  
"Numair, tell me about invisibility spells," The woman said flatly.  
  
Her lover jerked away, taken aback by her random inquiry. Bewildered, he looked down at her. Daine met his puzzled gaze, her expression blank.  
  
"Im guessing you didn't just pull that out of thin air," Numair replied.  
  
The woman turned away, a surge of panic suddenly lancing through her veins.  
  
"Darling," Numair soothed. "You're shaking all over....tell me what happened."  
  
"That's just the thing," Daine murmured. "I don't know what happened."  
  
The mage stiffened, his mind whirring with confusion. Never had his friend of so many years (and recent lover) seemed so lost. She had always managed to maintain a confident air in times of past uncertainty. It disturbed him, almost frightened him even, to see her in such an empty state.  
  
"All right," Numair said, trying to remain calm. "Tell me what you do know." Daine cringed, putting her free hand to her throat. The place where the being had grabbed her throbbed more than ever. Quietly, Daine explained,  
  
"It happened so fast....I dunno...it was like a hand just wrapped itself around my throat and started choking and shaking me. That force...whatever it was totally cut off my airway. I couldn't call for help, I couldn't even breath."  
  
"I see," Numair mumbled, fingering his own neck. "A dream perhaps?"  
  
"No," Daine coughed, shaking her head. "No, it hurt to much to have been a dream. And besides, that thing left bruises, see?"  
  
Numair lifted her chin and tilted her head to the side. Leaning back, he studied the black and blue marks around the woman's neck.  
  
"Don't you see them?" Daine asked when Numair didn't respond.  
  
"Yes, I see them," The man said. The hair on his arms and the back of his neck rose, a strange tingling coursing through him. "We should see a healer about this." He decided, finding it suddenly hard to speak. "Then we must notify the king. If someone has infiltrated the castle under an invisibility spell without my detection...." He shuddered. Daine shivered as well, knowing that Numair was the most powerful mage in the realm and was able to sense the arcane better than anyone.  
  
Without further hesitation, both mages climbed out of bed and left to seek out a servant to wake the king. They moved quietly so not to wake the other palace residents, wanting to avoid all speculation until the matter was resolved. Neither one of them noticed the figure cloaked in shadow at the doorway, observing them with amusement as they passed him.  
  
-I have eluded their most powerful,- the invisible being thought to itself, smiling cruelly.- Now I take everything. - 


	2. Foreign Magic

In a matter of moments, the King, the Queen and several other prominent nobles of Tortall were awake. Without drawing attention to themselves, they quickly assembled and made their way to a private conference room. Once the group had entered the small area, the door was locked behind them. No one was to enter from this point on, and it was implied that no one was to leave either.  
  
Numair took the liberty of spelling every corner of the high walls enclosing the meeting room, his magic soft and subtle against the flagstone. Dim, pulsing sparks were the only traces of the power stifling all sound from listening spells. The small lights darted back and forth along the ceiling, until they had merged into a misty sheet. The haze, touched with a hint of black fire, spilled down the walls and onto the floor, covering the entire expanse of the room. Though Numair had not exerted much of his gift, enough power had been cast to make every person present uneasy. Even Daine, used to the mage's frequent spells, was a bit nervous.  
  
Trying to banish the fear and anxiety which made her blood run cold, the woman concentrated on her surroundings. The conference room was quite dark, lit by only a chandelier on the ceiling and the glow of Numair's magic. A long, oak table was its only furniture and a banner on the north wall was its only decoration. The walls were composed of crude, gray flagstone, contrasting the smooth, finished outer walls seen by the public. Overall, the atmosphere of the meeting room could only be described as forbidding, much like the chamber of the ordeal in which knights were tested.  
  
The king suddenly cleared his throat. Daine snapped to attention, turning swiftly in her chair. Numair glanced at her, smiling weakly. He took a seat by her, taking her hand in his and squeezing it gently.  
  
King Jonathan, who headed the table, addressed the gathering in a stern voice,  
  
"I have gotten some disturbing news this night." He paused, his sapphire eyes darting around the table. "It seems that an unidentified someone...or something...has managed to enter the palace undetected. No guard or mage here was able to intercept it, as it was under an invisibility cloak of sorts. I have posted additional guards in the watch towers and increased security at the gates. I have also woken up several mages to scour the grounds for signs of this intruder's magic." King Jonathan leaned forward with a sigh, folding his hands on the table. "And yet I feel that this is not enough." He scratched his black beard thoughtfully, again looking around the table.  
  
"Have there been reports anywhere else on the grounds?" Asked a sharp voice from the opposite end of the table. The source of the voice was a stocky, redheaded woman, dressed in a long nightshirt. Despite the late hour, she had still made the effort to fasten a belt over her night clothes with naked sword attached. She wore a bland look, her stubborn mouth tight, and her striking, purple eyes unblinking.  
  
"No Alanna," King Jonathan answered. "But then again, we haven't really left any time in between Mistress Sarrasri's incident and this meeting for any additional reports to be acquired."  
  
"How do we even know this person has left the grounds?" Demanded a general.  
  
"If it is infact a 'person'," An adept noted.  
  
"We don't," the king grumbled tiredly. "We only know what Mistress Sarrasri reported to us."  
  
The general present, scoffed haughtily,  
  
"Bah, considering the words of some camp follower's baggage! What is this place coming to?"  
  
The king's eyes flashed dangerously,  
  
"You will maintain order here, Sir."  
  
"I merely meant that she is unreliable, majesty," The general chuckled, trying to remain casual under the disapproving stares of those around him.  
  
"Your point is well established," King Jonathan snapped, his patience clearly waning. "Now hold your tongue."  
  
Daine ducked her head, blushing fiercely. It was bad enough stuffy nobles gossiped about her behind her back, but this was the first time one of them was so bold as to directly insult her.  
  
"Bastard girl," The general muttered under his breath.  
  
"Is this meeting about an intruder or about social status?" Alanna retorted, winking at Daine. "Because if social status is the issue at hand, Im sure we can have a LONG chat about your own parentage, General Davien."  
  
The man huffed, but said no more, his pride wounded. The wildmage nodded her appreciation to Alanna, feeling her cheeks growing even hotter. Not only was the lady knight known worldwide for the use of her sword, but for the use of her legendary sharp tongue as well.  
  
"We need a solution," King Jonathan announced, voice rising. "I trust the words of this young lady and would place my life in her hands in an instant. Such slander shall not be spoken in my presence." Sitting up straighter in his chair, he changed the subject. "Now, about the intruder. What is known about it so far?"  
  
"Nothing is known about this being, your majesty," A young officer said meekly.  
  
"That's not entirely accurate," Numair protested. "We do know he is a mage for one, and a rather good one at that. For another, we also know that this being uses foreign magic. Well, magic foreign to those at any university I've attended."  
  
"So you're basically saying, that the mage is not of this world?" King Jonathan responded with a hint of doubt.  
  
"It's quite probable," Numair said, shrugging. "The universe beyond our world is very vast...infinite actually...leaving open an equally infinite amount of possible realms." Several heads bobbed in agreement with the mage. Numair's judgment was rarely questioned, even by those who feared and hated him. He was one of seven in the world who had earned the rank of, 'black robe mage', the highest status any sorcerer could rise to. And still, despite his great power, Numair knew the value of practical magic as well.  
  
"This opens up a whole new argument," the king murmured.  
  
The queen, Thayet the Peerless, told,  
  
"An argument that will recommence as soon as more facts are discovered." She was as solid as her husband, and just as pleasing to the eye. However, the queen's fragile beauty was deceiving: Thayet was not afraid to get her hands dirty, many times doing work considered to be a servant's labor.  
  
"Right, my dear," King Jonathan said, smiling loftily. "We shall continue this meeting in the morning, when I have attained a full report. Hopefully, we'll know more by then."  
  
"With your permission, my lord," Alanna spoke up, rising from her chair. "I'd like to join my men at the gates."  
  
"Go, Lioness," the king permitted, using her nickname. He reclined in his chair, waving her out of his presence. Numair gestured toward the locked door, clearing a space in his misty spell for Alanna to walk through. The lady knight left swiftly, closing the door behind her.  
  
The king stood up as well, motioning to call everyone's full attention.  
  
"You all may go. Tis late...and there is much to be done tomorrow. But speak of this to no one," the king ordered. "Nothing is to be said of this matter, not until find out more. Does everyone understand?"  
  
The gathering bowed their heads respectively. Not one of them objected to King Jonathan's command.  
  
"Very well," the king sighed. He turned from the table and swept out of the room, this time leaving the door ajar behind him. The members of the meeting followed him silently, each looking drained and tormented. It was certain that none of them would be getting any sleep tonight. Daine, surely the most shaken of all, planned to return to her room and leave every single candle lit. She would be sitting up in bed all night, a bow and quiver of arrows in hand. 


	3. Out of Mind

Daine opened her eyes to be greeted by soft rays of sun streaming from the window over her bed. The warm light danced across her face, urging her to wake. She moaned groggily and turned on her side, not yet ready to face the day. Numair dozed beside her, one of his big hands still clutching an open book. His hair had escaped its horse tail sometime during the night and his shirt had twisted so that it had rolled up under his armpit. Daine giggled softly at the sight; he always found some contorted position to sleep in.  
  
The man's eyes fluttered open at the sound of his lover's voice. He craned to face her, smirking curiously.  
  
"What are you laughing at?" He croaked.  
  
"Oh, just you," Daine quipped, voice dry. "Why can't you sleep like a normal person?"  
  
Numair sniffed dignantly,  
  
"Well, at least I don't snore."  
  
"Sorry to be the one to tell you this, but alas...you do snore," Daine sighed. "And fair loudly I might add."  
  
The mage grinned guiltily.  
  
"Also," Daine continued, slyly. "You talk in your sleep. You should hear yourself! Even when you're out cold you can hold an intelligent conversation."  
  
This startled a laugh out of Numair; a sound which made Daine tingle with pleasure.  
  
"Oh magelet," the man gasped between spurts of laughter. "I now remember why I love you so much."  
  
Daine leaned into him, resting her chin on his shoulder.  
  
"I love you too," she breathed. "you and your snoring."  
  
"That's good to hear," Numair chuckled. He brought a hand up to stroke her hair, the other, still holding his book, wrapped around her waist. "It's good to see you doing better," he whispered, soothing stray curls away from her face. Daine bit her lip and turned away from him. Her cheerful mood suddenly darkened, the shadow of last night's scare stinging her memory.  
  
"Let's not dwell on that," she whispered.  
  
Numair moved to his side of the bed, allowing her some space. He stared deep into the woman, desperately trying comprehend her erratic change. Daine dared not look up at him, afraid that if she met his eyes all of her inner self would be exposed. She smiled slightly, thinking to herself, (Even after all these years, I still have the instinct of the people: the eyes are windows. Trust no one. Share your thoughts and become vulnerable.)  
  
"I think.." Daine stammered, aloud. "..I think... maybe we should get up... lots to be done and it wont get done with us...sitting here." Awkwardly, the wildmage wrestled out of her covers and stumbled out of bed.  
  
"Oh, very well then," Numair mumbled, still caught in a daze. Shakily, he got out of bed and followed Daine, unable to dismiss a certain, unexplained feeling.  
  
~ 


	4. AN: please read!

A/N  
  
Okay, I admit I've been procrastinating just a bit.....I plan on posting chapter 4 shortly, but the ending needs touching up. At this point Im going to ask all my readers, old and new, to give me some advice on where I should go from here. I've been tossing around a few ideas, but Im always open to new ones. *sighs* Im suffering a great lack of inspiration right now....upcoming exams, work, my own novel....blah. Anyway, please help! Thanks in advance everyone!  
  
Meanwhile, things to look forward to.....  
  
Daine's capture a blue eyed raven & a mysterious, silver haired newcomer dragons a palace murder inside connections and Numair's HUGE fit of rage 


	5. The Blueeyed Raven

Daine went about her morning routine casually. She refused to allow last night's events shake her; animals needed to be fed and life had to go on. It was not until mid-afternoon that a horrible feeling began to swell in the pit of her stomach. She was not sure if it was due to merely eating her lunch so quickly, or the odd air which had settled over the palace. Only one thing was certain: she was queasy, and if she kept up the pace, she would vomit.  
  
Heeding her stomach's warning, Daine retreated to the horse paddocks for a break. She went straight for a densely wooded area, lured by the prospect of shade. The trees' great limbs would provide cool shadows, as well as a thick trunk to lay back upon. Bent half double, Daine staggered up to a pine. She let herself drop to the ground, titling her head back against the trunk. Sweat dripped from her brow, trickling down her cheeks. Lazily, she wiped it away. (I should be back at the rider mess,) Daine thought to herself, remembering she had promised to meet Onua there. She started to sit up, but fell back half way there, seized by wave of pain. Her stomach reeled.....constricted....and reeled. (Never mind that, Ill just stay here for awhile,) Daine decided.  
  
The woman squinted to look out into the pastures, blinded by the rays of sun glinting through the tree branches. Daine closed her eyes, and sighed deeply. ( Gods, what's wrong with me?) She wondered inwardly. (The world is too bright and yet when I shut my eyes, the void I see there is frighteningly dark.)  
  
Her eyes opened a crack, just wide enough to see a dark blot dart across the sun. She sat bolt upright.  
  
"What the....?" Daine murmured, shielding her eyes to catch another glimpse of the creature. Slowly, she rolled to her feet, curiosity momentarily dulling her pain. The black creature, now clearly a bird of some sort, suddenly returned. It banked hard in the sky, then dove straight down, its sleek body slicing effortlessly through the air. Daine watched the bird weave and plummet before her, tingling with awe. Heart racing, she mustered all the wild magic which lie dormant within her. She cast her power out to the newcomer. (Good afternoon, wing sister), Daine called. (I've never seen a bird fly so beautifully before!)  
  
Startled, the bird stopped in midair. It looked around wildly, searching for the voice which had seemingly come from nowhere. (Over here!) Daine shouted, waving. The bird turned to her, but did not respond. Cautiously, it flapped closer, watching the woman with mistrusting eyes. Daine waited patiently, arm extended. As the bird drew nearer, she saw that it was raven- a very large raven. But its eyes were not the deep, dark color of its species; rather they were clear.....and icy blue.  
  
Daine gasped, taken aback by the raven's striking abnormality. Clearly, this was no ordinary bird. Swamped with intrigue, She reached out farther, urging the bird to land. The motion scared the timid creature. It shrieked a piercing cry and turned in the air. Then, as quick as a lighting flash, it streaked off beyond the trees.  
  
"No! Wait!" Daine wailed aloud. She took off at a run, desperate to find the strange creature. Something, apart from its immense size and odd eyes, struck Daine as almost magical. That feeling, she could not ignore. 


	6. Beyond Tortall

For hours, Daine searched the skies in hopes of seeing the bird one last time. But by sundown, that feeling of nausea had intensified. The last few rays of sunlight flashed fiercely at her on the horizon, making her head throb and her stomach roll. She squinted away, on the verge of tears. At last, she gave up.  
  
"Definitely time to head in," Daine sighed. "Numair's probably worried himself into a fit. Knowing him he's already sent a search party." She stretched, her spine creaking. "I'm going to get a tongue lashing when I get back." She blinked her strained eyes and rubbed the nape of her aching neck; up until now she had not once broken her skyward gaze. It was as if the strange bird had cast a spell over her, a trance of sorts. Its mere rolling and banking had been enough to ensnare Daine for hours. The motion, or the thing itself had rendered her limp and thoughtless, just as the slow, rhythmic sway of a pendulum might effect a watcher. Even when it had flown off, Daine still found she could not look away. There she had stood, dumbfounded, from noon until sunset, staring up at nothing.  
  
~  
  
Numair paced the room anxiously, palms sweating and mind whirring. Daine had stayed out late before. Infact, many times she did not return to the palace until far into the night. But this time, something was wrong; he could feel it. Every inch of the man tingled with fear. His heart pounded within his chest, so quickly and so loudly he feared it might burst. The blood ran cold in his veins, numbing every inch of his trembling body.  
  
"Daine," he whispered through quivering lips. "Come back to me...come back to me now." His hands clenched into fists, tightening with every breath he drew. The chain which dangled from his wrist-his focus-rattled at the motion. The oval locket opened with a gentle click, revealing a tiny painting of Daine's face within and a lock of her own hair tucked behind a clip. Numair glanced down at the portrait and his muscles tensed.  
  
"Well, why not," he murmured. "It worked once before in a more grave situation. It can work again." He quickly undid the clasp of the bracelet. With a shaking hand he brought it to eye level, gazing deep into his lover's face frozen in time. He closed his eyes, breathing slowly and evenly. Deeper and deeper into the focus he plunged, concentrating on his one intention; to find Daine. Numair raised his hands before him, palms facing the wall. Tongues of black fire licked his fingertips, shivering and curling in the cool air. Small sparks of white light danced within the flames, flitting about like entrapped fireflies.  
  
From the darkness of Numair's mind, light suddenly bloomed. Laced with black fire, it spread all around to illuminate a spread of forest beyond. The mage delved deeper still, forcing back every outside sound, every distraction. He felt the steady blaze at his finger tips suddenly flare, but he ignored it. The dense stretch of woodlands he saw through his mind's eyes began to grow more defined. The trees were now clearly pines of some sort, all healthy and full. Numair examined each, trying to determine whether or not these trees were indigenous to Tortall. He studied them carefully; the texture and grain of the bark, the size of the trunk, the size and color of the needles on each branch. It was then he noticed the patches of white on the tips of the branches. The man squinted closer.  
  
"Snow?" He mouthed, brows twitching together. "No, that's not right." It was the middle of summer in Tortall and even the northern most region of the land had not seen its first snow fall of the year. His eyes popped open and the scene abruptly faded. He could no longer keep a hold on his spell, startled by a terrifying conclusion; Daine was no longer in Tortall.  
  
~  
  
Daine woke to the sound of creaking branches, swaying in the breeze overhead. She opened her eyes only to find she had been sleeping face down in the snow. The woman yelped, jerking upright. She wiped the slush from her face, red and blistering from the cold, and then brushed off her soaked clothing. Knees shaking, She climbed to her feet. "Hello?" Daine called out into the frigid air, her own breath visible as she spoke. "Hello!" She yelled louder. Her only response was the flutter of wings a and series of cries as birds took to the air. Daine watched them scatter in every direction from the surrounding snow tipped pine trees. A twinge of panic lanced through her; these trees, these birds....they were not familiar. A chilling gust of wind blew her to the ground, knocking the breath from her tired lungs. She rolled to her knees, coughing raggedly. She attempted to rise, but found that her legs had stiffened and refused to bend. Daine sat, unable to do much else. Now shivering violently, she pulled her light cotton cloak tighter around her body. "Numair," She breathed. Despite her grave situation, he was all she could think about. 


End file.
